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C aesura
   A pause or break in a line of poetry, usually ten syllables or more.

   (ex. Robert Herrick's "To the Virgins, Too Make Much of Time"

       Then be not coy, // but use your time,
       And while ye may, // go marry ...   )

Canto

   In a long poem, a canto is a section or division.

   (ex. Dante's "Divine Comedy")

Caricature

   An exaggeration to make a figure appear comical or ridiculous. Usually a physical characteristic , personality trait or an act is exaggerated for affect.

   (ex. Charles Dickens'sThomas Gradgrind in "Hard Times")

"Carpe Diem" Tradition

   Latin for "seize the day", carpe diem is a theme often used to advise a reader to enjoy the pleasures of life of the moment before the time passes away.

  (ex. Robert Herrick's "To the Virgins, to Make Much of Time" : "Gather ye rose
   buds while ye may")

Characterization

   The personality that a character displays, or the way an author revels their personality. Character is usually developed by the character's actions, by thoughts and speeches, by physical description, by opinions, or by a direct statement in the work.

Classicism

   The principles held as the basis of classical art. With emphasis the traditional and universal values, clarities and balance, classicism is strong opposed to Romanticism which emphasizes emotions and personal themes.

Climax

   In a narrative, the climax is the greatest point of intensity in the crisis. It is usually the turning point of a story revealed through rising action (increased tension).

  (ex. Shakespeare's "Macbeth" : the climax occurs in the banquet scene in Act Three when Macbeth sees the ghost of Banquo.)

Comedy

   Any literary work with a usally happy ending, distinctly opposite from a tragedy. Commonly found in a comedy are wit, humour, and some kind of folly.

Conceit

   A type of metaphor that compares to distinctly diffferent things. Conceit usually constructs the form of an entire poem in the form of a elaborate or startling analogy.

   (ex. Shakespeare : "My mistress' eyes are nothing like the sun; / Coral is far more red than her lips' red.")

Conflict

   A struggle between two forces or characters in a literary piece, being internal or external. There are many types of conflict.

• one person against another

• a person against society

• a person against nature

• two elements within a person fighting for power

   Many works contain several types of conflict. Conflict is the basis for suspense.

   (ex. Shakespeare's "Macbeth" : There is conflict inside Macbeth when he wants to murder Duncan for his kingship but holds loyalty towards Duncan at the same time. There is conflict among Macbeth and other characters like Lady Macbeth, Banquo and Macduff.)

Connotation

   The emotions or implication aroused by a word.

   (ex.The dictionary definition of the word "spring" is the time between the vernal equinox and the summer solstice, but usually makes most people think of flowers, romance and youth.)

Consonance

   The repetition of identical consonant sounds in a group of words.

   (ex. "flip-flop", "east-west")

Couplet

   Two consecutive lines of poetry that rhyme. A heroic couplet is an iambic pentamenter and a closed couplet is two lines in which a complete unit of thought is formed.

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